Making music in the North-east: waits and minstrels around the region

These days the North East has a lively and diverse musical scene. It was the same in the medieval and Renaissance periods also, when town bands and touring minstrels entertained people on festive occasions. In this podcast, Dr Diana Wyatt investigates some of the stories behind the music.

Records from all parts of the North-East testify to a vibrant and varied musical culture from the fourteenth to the seventeenth centuries. From bands of town waits playing to welcome royal visitors, to musicians on the staff of great houses, to minstrels touring the country looking for (and often finding) lucrative opportunities to entertain the public, the evidence lets us ‘hear’ music everywhere. This talk by Dr Diana Wyatt highlights some intriguing examples from the region.

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READ publicises the research conducted by the Department of English Studies at Durham University. It features a blog on literature and books, book reviews, bookchat, podcasts and lectures on literature. READ also publicises literature and cultural events in the North East.

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